Fate T Harlaown: Ace Enforcer
by F91
Summary: Fate gets herself tangled up in a murder investigation that involves some one close to her. How can she prove some one innocent when all the evidence says otherwise? One sided F/Y. If that offends you, don't read!
1. Prolouge

Pale moonlight filled the back alley where two figures stood.

"Wait, what are you doing? I thought…"

"Sorry. I have no real use for you. I'll be taking _that_ though." A quiet, sharp sound was heard with a flash of light. One figure fell to the ground, a pool of red soon surrounding his head. The other figure reached down and took something from the fallen form's pocket. "Now I have all I need."

The figure turned to leave, their long hair flowing behind them. Light reflected from their glasses hid eyes filled with joy.


	2. Chapter 1

As some may have noticed, this fic began as a result of playing too much Phoenix Wright. Funny how well the title pun works too. That's not the only thing though, as I'm also a big CSI fan and my favourite novels are Nora Roberts's In Death series. This is my first attempt at a mystery story and a lot of planning has gone into it. I hope you enjoy it.

Major overhaul from the first version of this chapter. This (along with chapter 2) has been in the revision stage for about a month. Lots more details added and changed. Hopefully for the better.

* * *

Fate Testarossa Harlaown drove up to the little restaurant. It was a small, red brick building in a neighbourhood full of small, red brick buildings. A modest sign over the door identified the restaurant as the Gentle Breeze. It was the kind of place you'd overlook if you didn't know of its existence. Today, however, you couldn't help but notice it with all the law enforcement crawling around.

"That's quite the crowd…" Fate's aide, Shari Finieno commented. "The food must be good."

"Shari-san, this isn't something to joke about." Fate's other aide, Teana Lanster replied. "We have a homicide with possible Lost Logia involvement. This is serious."

"I know it is, Teana." Shari said. "But if you don't relax, the weight of the situation will get you down."

"Now, now you two." Fate said gently. "We have a job to do. Let's do it well." Fate parked her car and the three women exited. They slipped through the police barrier and Fate identified herself to one of the uniformed men. "Fate T. Harlaown, Enforcer from the Inter-dimensional Navy. May I see the person in charge?"

"That would be me." A deep voice boomed. Fate turned to see a rather large man. He was well built and probably in his late thirties. Stubble covered his square chin and his large hands were inside the pockets of his grey trench coat. His short, well kept brown hair showed that he meant business. He looked at Fate with hard, focused eyes that emitted his years of experience. "The name's Detective George Michael Ford. Homicide. Nice of you to come all this way." He said with a hint of sarcasm.

"Nice to meet you, Detective Ford. I'm Fate Harlaown and these are my aides Shario Finieno and Teana Lanster." Ford nodded a greeting to the other girls.

"You folks at the Inter-dimensional Navy must be pretty bored to get involved with something like this." He said. "Haven't had much to do since that incident a year ago eh?"

"Well, it is true that since the JS incident, there haven't been any major cases." Fate started. "However if there is Lost Logia involved, caution should be taken."

"Well, thanks to that, my boys had to stop processing the scene until you got here. It's a real pain in the ass." Ford spat out bitterly. Then he sighed. "Well, it's not your fault, that's just how the system works. Frankly, I'd rather not get kids like you involved though."

"I appreciate your concern detective," Fate smiled. "But we are more than capable of handling ourselves. Could you take us to the scene?" Ford considered it for a moment.

"You girls ever been to a murder scene before?" Teana and Shari shook their heads.

"I've been to a few…" Fate said.

"Well, I suggest your aides stay back then. Murder is something no one should see." Ford said. Fate glanced back and saw the other girls nod.

"They can handle it." She said. Ford shrugged.

"Well, it's not the worst I've seen anyways. Just don't start puking on my crime scene." He warned before walking into the alley beside the restaurant. The young women followed him. When they entered, Teana stiffened, Shari lightly covered her mouth, and Fate frowned. She'd never get used to these. Never wanted to for that matter.

It was rather tidy for an alley. There was no graffiti on the walls, and the garbage cans were lined up neatly next to the kitchen entrance. But then there was the body. He lay in the middle of the alley on his back, his head pointing to the fence that bisected the passage. Blood had gushed out of the small hole in his forehead and pooled around his head. He wore a dark blue dress shirt and a black pair of trousers. They had seen a lot of use, but were well maintained. His face had a worn look which made him appear older than he probably was. His dirty blonde hair had also begun to thin. His expression was frozen in one of surprise and fear. In the air was the distinct stench of death. There were no signs of struggle.

"Shari." Fate said. Her aide nodded and called up a magical display. She began scanning the area.

"Cook found him around six this morning when he took the trash out." Ford explained. "Looks like he's been here all night. Cause of death is an easy one. He was shot in the head. And it wasn't with magic."

"So he was killed with a physical firearm?" Teana asked. "But those have been banned for the longest time."

"There are a lot of worlds out there that still use that stuff." Ford answered. "It's not hard to get one through a black market deal." He made a quick glance around the alley. "Victim was lured back here some how. He doesn't strike me as the kind of person who randomly rummages in alleys. One shot, right between the eyes. Our killer was all business. If it was personal, body would have more holes, maybe even kicked around a bit. Their aim was exact, which tells me the shooter had a steady hand." Fate nodded, following his train of thought.

"I find it a little strange though…" She mused. "It was rather cold last night. You'd think he'd wear a jacket or something."

"Very astute, Ms Enforcer." Ford said. "Witnesses say he was indeed wearing a long coat, as well as a fedora. The fact that neither of those articles of clothing are around, the killer must have taken them. And it was before our guy was shot."

"What makes you say that, sir?" Teana asked.

"No sign the body's been moved." Ford answered. "Certainly can't remove a jacket while he's lying on it."

"How did you know there was a Lost Logia involved?" Fate asked.

"According to one of the waiters, the victim had dinner here with some one. Waiter heard them mention it." Ford thumbed the restaurant. "We can go talk to him once you give my boys the ok to resume their work." Fate nodded and looked to Shari.

"Scan shows no abnormal magic readings characteristic of Lost Logia." Shari reported. "Just normal levels of magic saturation."

"Ok." Fate looked to the detective. "You can resume your homicide investigation."

"Alright." Ford barked some orders to his men and they began working. "Let's go." The four of them entered the restaurant. Tables and chairs were lined up neatly into rows, with booth seats up against the walls. What you'd expect from any restaurant. The carpet was a vivid green, as was most of the furniture. The tables were covered with cloths of earthy tones; a vase of flowers sat upon each. The upper half of the wall, as well as the ceiling, was a light blue with occasional puffs of white. The motif gave off a feel of being in an open field under a sky spotted with clouds. Fate could almost feel the 'Gentle Breeze' blowing through, and, if it weren't for the circumstances, she might have found it relaxing.

They found the waiter. He was a young kid, probably in his mid teens. His bushy brown hair framed a face that was spattered with freckles. He wore a white shirt covered by a green smock. His name was displayed on the tag pinned to the smock, and there was a daisy in his right breast pocket. His hazel eyes were wide with awe at the officers who flanked him.

"Alright Mr. Chevelle." Ford said. "I need you to repeat your story for them." He gestured towards the young women. The kid took a quick look at them before turning red and looking away.

"H… H… Hi! I… I'm… Chris Chevelle!" He squeaked out. His face became even redder. "I… I'm sorry! I'm not used to talking to beautiful women…"

"Thank you for the compliment." Fate smiled gently. "Could you please tell us what happened?" Chris seemed to melt under her radiant smile.

"Y…yes m'am!" Chris stood at attention. Fate could hear Shari chuckle behind her. "The guy… uh, I guess he's the victim right? Well, he came in around seven last night. He was meeting with this other guy. I only caught bits of their conversation while I brought their food, but I definitely heard them say the words 'Lost Logia.' We learned what those things are in school. It's something amazing right? That's how I knew that the police should know about it!" He paused to make sure the others were still following him. No one said anything, so he continued. "I think they were talking about some sort of transaction involving it. In the end though, I don't think it worked out because the other guy left after about an hour. He looked kinda dejected. The victim didn't leave long after."

"You're positive of this?" Fate asked.

"Yes m'am!" He said. "Both of them were really nice to me. Left me a generous tip. I always remember the details of customers like that!"

"Did you catch their names?" Ford asked.

"Um… no sir…" Chris seemed to shrink away, but he came bouncing back. "But I'm an aspiring artist! I could draw his picture for you!" he said excitedly. Fate glanced back at Ford, who gave her a shrug that said 'It wouldn't hurt.'

"That would help us a lot." Fate smiled. With that charge of energy, Chris excused himself and ran to the back to get paper and a pencil.

"If only all witnesses could be that convenient…" Shari quipped.

"We'll see how he does. We could always get him to see a sketch artist later." Ford said. "But this other customer sounds like our prime suspect to me. If they had some deal that went sour, that would be enough reason to kill him." Fate nodded.

"That's plausible. Even more so if they were discussing selling that Lost Logia." They waited fifteen minutes before Chris returned and proudly displayed his work. It was a rough, yet well drawn, portrait of a young man with glasses and soft features. His long hair was tied back in a low ponytail. A very familiar face. Shari shot Fate a concerned look.

"No way…" Fate muttered. "Are you certain of this?"

"I'm quite confident in my skill!" Chris said. "This is definitely the guy!"

"Detective! Detective!" An officer rushed in. "We found this note in the victim's pocket!" Ford took the small, folded piece of stationary paper the officer handed to him. He read the note out loud.

"Seven o'clock, Gentle Breeze restaurant. Meet with Professor Yuuno Scrya."


	3. Chapter 2

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Chapter 1 has been completely revamped. If you read chapter 1 before August 25, 2008, please read it again. Otherwise this chapter won't make sense.

* * *

"What else did you manage to find?" George asked.

"Sir! We found his wallet in his pants pocket. From the IDs in it, the victim is identified as Gary Cavalier. Twenty-five. Mid-Childa native. Preliminary scans suggest time of death as being somewhere between eight and eight-thirty pm last night. It also located some hair on the body. Fairly long in length. Definitely not the victim's." The officer reported. "The bullet we believe killed the victim was found lodged in the adjacent business's wall. Also, it may be nothing, but we've found what looks to be animal fur, sir."

"Could be just a stray cat, could be important. Bag it." Ford ordered. "Send it into the lab and do background checks on the vic and this Yuuno Scrya fellow. Take the kid's sketch in too." He handed said sketch to the officer. "Canvas the area and see if you can find anyone that saw the victim or the suspect last night. We'll also need to notify the vic's next of kin."

"Was I able to help?" Chris asked Fate enthusiastically. Fate was lost in thought and it took her a moment to register the boy's question.

"Huh? Oh, yes, thank you very much." She said. "Please give your contact information to the officer over there and we'll contact you if we need further assistance." Chris nodded and ran off.

"Fate-san, are you alright?" Shari asked.

"Yes, I'm fine…" Fate didn't sound very sure of herself. 'There's no way Yuuno would ever do such a thing.' She thought.

"You've been acting strange ever since you saw that sketch Enforcer Harlaown." Ford eyed her suspiciously. "You know the suspect, don't you?"

"I… uh…"

"I didn't make detective for nothing, kid." Ford said. Fate sighed in defeat. She knew hiding anything would only be harmful down the road.

"Yuuno Scrya is currently the head librarian at the Infinity Library." She said.

"Infinity Library?" Ford frowned. "That's up at the Bureau isn't it? Wonderful. I'm sure they'll just love to have cops poking around in there. Well, having a mage here will probably save us some red tape." He gave Fate a meaningful look. "Let's go."

"Detective," Fate said. "I've known Yuuno since we were nine years old. There's no way he's the culprit."

"… Duly noted." he said, "But it's a lead, so we have to follow it. The evidence will tell us the rest. I'll tell you this now, though. Don't let your personal feelings get in the way of the investigation. I could have you removed for conflict of interest." Fate steeled herself and met Ford's eyes.

"That won't be an issue." She said. "I'm sure we'll clear him soon enough."

* * *

It was silent in Fate's car on the way to the relay port. Teana wasn't sure why.

"Um… so who exactly is this Yuuno person?" She asked.

"Oh, that's right." Shari said. "I only explained it to Erio and Caro that one time…"

"Yuuno is Nanoha and my childhood friend." Fate explained. "We met over ten years ago during the Precia Testarossa incident. Yuuno was actually the one who taught Nanoha how to use magic." Teana shuddered slightly, remembering the training Nanoha put her through.

"… He must be a terrifying person…" She said. Fate let out a small laugh.

"Don't worry Teana." Fate assured her. "Yuuno is the kindest, gentlest guy I've ever met."

"And that's why you fell for him." Shari smirked. Fate had to resist the urge to slam on the brakes.

"Shari!" She cried, flustered.

"Please stop kidding around, Shari-san." Teana said. "Everyone knows that Fate-san and Nanoha-san are a couple." This time Fate did slam on her brakes. She also hit her forehead against the steering wheel for good measure.

"You too, Teana?" She asked. Teana blinked innocently.

"Did I say something wrong?"

"That's just a misconception." Shari smiled humourlessly. "Fate-san and Nanoha-san are just good friends."

"But everyone was talking about it…" Teana started. "Like how they slept together in the same bed and how they were raising Vivio together..."

"Nanoha alone is Vivio's guardian." Fate said as she resumed driving. "I was the god mother; just some one to help Nanoha get used to caring for a child, since I have more experience in that area." Fate thought fondly of her young wards.

"As for the bed," Shari continued. "Most of Riot Force 6's things were donated second hand. Some one gave us that huge bed, so it's not like we could have turned it away. Besides, it just fit so nicely with the rest of the room!" Her eyes sparkled a bit. "A standard Bureau bunk just wouldn't do!" Her eyes returned to normal. "Fate-san and Nanoha-san didn't mind sharing the bed, and it was really big, so they had plenty of room for themselves."

"So that's how it was…" Teana whispered. "I'm sorry for misunderstanding."

"Don't worry about it." Fate said. "We're used to it." In fact, Nanoha thought it was hilarious.

"But still!" Teana insisted. "It must be horrible having such rumours going around about you!" Shari gave a slightly sinister chuckle.

"Ignorance is bliss I suppose…" Teana looked at her quizzically.

"What do you mean?"

"I guess you never heard what everyone was saying about you and Subaru." Shari said. Teana's face went red with anger.

"What?! Me and Subaru? That's just ridiculous!" She huffed. "She's like an annoying kid sister… No! More like an overly affectionate puppy!"

"We know." Shari chuckled, and then smiled impishly. "Don't worry, Vice didn't believe the rumours either." Teana's face turned red for a different reason.

"W… Why would I care what he thinks?" While Teana probably felt something more than just respect for her fellow sharp shooter, she'd never admit it. Teana shifted the subject back to her superior. "So, uh, you like this Yuuno person?"

Fate sighed. While she didn't want to broadcast it, she'd never deny it. "Yes, I do."

Fate would never forget what happened more than a decade ago. When she was being tried for her involvement in the PT incident, Yuuno went out of his way to help her. He had every reason to refuse. He could have stayed on Earth and lived a carefree life with Nanoha, but instead he chose to stand in the court room and defend her. The prosecution was rather fierce and kept pushing hard, but Yuuno still stood up for her. Even off the stand, he had to take Chrono's constant insults. Fate once asked him why he put up with it, telling him he should go back to Nanoha. Yuuno had just shook his head and replied "I'm not going back without you."

Chrono was often off doing other business, but Yuuno made sure she was never alone. He always kept her company, and even practised magic with her. Soon enough, she found herself feeling happy whenever she saw him, and his smile made her heart race. It was different from what she felt around Chrono, or when she got a new video mail from Nanoha. She wasn't quite sure what it meant. It wasn't until later when she asked Lindy about it that she found out it was love. She had no idea how to proceed after that, so she just acted as naturally as she could. She hoped it wasn't too obvious. It didn't really matter though, as it was quite clear where the boy's heart was.

It still didn't stop her from seeing him whenever she could though. While working on cases, she'd always go to Yuuno for some information or advice when she needed it, and sometimes when she didn't. He'd always make time for her, even when he was super busy. Their friendship had remained strong.

Fate realised how silly she was for worrying. Yuuno would be found clean, and he'd probably give them a clue that would lead to the killer. She was sure of it.

* * *

It was a relatively short drive to the relay port. The advanced building was a sharp contrast to the traditional style neighbourhood the Gentle Breeze was located in. When they entered, Ford and several of his men were waiting in the lobby.

"Trouble on the way over?" Ford asked. Fate shook her head.

"Nothing to worry about." She said.

"I've already informed the higher-ups that we'll be investigating within TSAB HQ." Ford said. "Little surprised we got approval so quickly. I guess they're still on edge after the whole thing with General Regius and the High Council."

"Having influential officials involved with inter-dimensional criminals certainly hasn't helped the Bureau's image." Fate said. "Anyways, getting in to see Yuuno won't be a problem. I'm sure he'll be happy to cooperate."

"That would be nice, but it's just not as fun as busting down doors." Ford's men grinned slightly at the comment.

After showing their Ids to a clerk, they were lead to the teleportation array that would send them to Time-Space Administration Bureau Headquarters. The clerk punched in the coordinates and with a flash of light, they were all sent to the massive structure floating in dimension space. They exited the port building and Ford glanced up at the artificial sky.

"Quite the place you mages have here." He said. "I always get lost though, so would you lead the way, Ms Enforcer?"

"Sure." Fate started off towards the library. It was a route that she had travelled many times before. Her feet moved almost automatically. They soon arrived at the large building. When they entered, a few of the officers lost their equilibrium in the Zero G.

"Well, this is troublesome." Ford muttered, trying to maintain some dignity.

"Just think of it as swimming through air." Fate suggested. "Yuuno's office is at the top. There's gravity in that area." She kicked off the floor and floated up. Teana and Shari did the same. The officers soon followed. On the way up, Fate was greeted by several employees. She waved at them.

"I take it you come here often." Ford observed. Fate nodded.

"I'm always consulting Yuuno about cases." She explained. "Before he came along, the Library was a disorganised mess. He created a system to allow for easier access. He's also an accomplished archaeologist. If you ever have a question about a Lost Logia, he's the man to go to." Fate had a particular note of pride in her voice.

When they arrived at the office area, several officers breathed a sigh of relief when their feet touched the floor. Fate made her way to the desk that sat outside a set of double doors. Behind the desk sat a woman in her mid twenties. Her long, red hair was tied back into a bun. Her pretty face was set in a serious expression as she studied the documents in her slender hands. She was the woman Fate knew as Sierra Smith, Yuuno's assistant. Her spotless white suit made her look as professional as Fate knew her to be. Since Sierra was currently in 'work mode,' Fate expected the bluntest of replies.

"Hello Sierra." Fate greeted. Sierra didn't even glance up.

"Ah, Ms Fate." She said. "Good morning. Here to see the Professor, naturally."

"He's in?" Fate asked.

"Of course," Sierra replied briskly. "He practically lives here when he's not on a dig." She spared a look at the line of officers. "May I ask the nature of your visit? You've brought a lot of company for just a simple consult."

"We just need to ask him a few questions regarding an ongoing case." Ford said. "We need to see him immediately."

"Certainly." Sierra set down her documents and reached over to activate the intercom. Fate had always admired how Sierra moved with no wasted motions. "Professor Scrya, Ms Fate and some officers are here to see you."

"Ok. Send them in." A voice crackled through the intercom. Fate walked over and opened the doors to the organized chaos that was Yuuno's office. The large room was filled to the brim with books and papers of all sizes. They were all neatly stacked into columns of varying heights, some even reaching the ceiling. When Fate had once asked why the stacks didn't fall over, Yuuno had revealed that they're held together by low level bind spells. There was only one path that cut through the tomes and led straight to Yuuno's desk. Perpendicular to the desk was a sofa and a coffee table used to entertain guests. Yuuno was seated behind his desk. When Fate approached, he rose in greeting and removed his glasses.

"Hey, Fate." He said. "Nice to see you again Shari."

"Likewise." Shari replied.

"And you must be Teana." Yuuno extended his hand. "Nice to finally meet you."

"You too, Professor." Teana said, shaking Yuuno's hand.

"And these gentlemen are?" Yuuno asked, indicating the officers. Ford took out his badge.

"Detective George Ford, with the Mid-Childa Police Department." He declared. "I need to ask you a few questions." Yuuno gave Fate a confused looked before turning back to the detective.

"Alright, go ahead."

"Last night you had dinner with a Mr Gary Cavalier, correct?" Ford asked.

"Yes, I did." Yuuno said, puzzled. "Has something happened?"

"Mr Cavalier was found dead this morning in the back alley of the restaurant you two met in." Ford said. Yuuno lost a little colour in his face.

"I see." He said. "That's terrible. He was a friendly person."

"We understand that you were discussing business regarding a Lost Logia." Ford continued. "Could you tell us that nature of your business?"

"Of course." Yuuno nodded. "I was contacted by Mr Cavalier two days ago. While on a trip, he discovered what he believed was a Lost Logia. He was returning to Mid and wanted me to have a look at it and possibly purchase it."

"Is this normal?" Ford inquired.

"Yes." Yuuno answered. "I'm something of an expert in the field of Lost Logia, so I have the qualifications to evaluate potential artefacts. If required, the Bureau provides me with funds to make the purchase. If the artefact proves to be dangerous, it's sealed away, if it's harmless, it's usually auctioned off to collectors."

"So how did your meeting turn out?"

"We agreed to meet at seven. I arrived a few minutes early and got us a table. He arrived promptly at seven. We introduced ourselves, ordered, and chatted for a bit." Yuuno recalled. "He told me all about his travels and how it was his first time back on Mid in nearly six years. When we got to the topic of the Lost Logia he found, he apologised and said that something had come up, so he had no intention of selling it to me. I had a look at it, and it definitely was a Lost Logia, but I didn't detect anything dangerous about it. I told him he could hold onto it for now, but I'd have to arrange for it to be officially tested at the Bureau."

"So what was the Lost Logia exactly?" Fate asked.

"It was a ring with a fairly large stone." Yuuno said. "Excellent craftsmanship of a level you'd never see in the modern age. It was quite the find. Anyways, we finished our meals, and since our business had concluded, I left afterwards. It was about eight I believe. The night was a bit chilly, but the relay port wasn't that far away, so I walked back, transferred back to HQ and returned here. I think it was about quarter to nine when I logged back in. I resumed my work, and fell asleep at some point."

"Yuuno, I'm always telling you to go to sleep properly back in your room." Fate scolded. "You need to stop working yourself to exhaustion."

"I know, I know." Yuuno smiled innocently before continuing. "I slept until seven this morning. Ms Smith woke me up when she started her shift."

"So how did you feel when Mr Cavalier changed the deal on you?" Ford asked.

"Well… I guess I was a little disappointed…" Yuuno replied.

"Were you angry? Did you decide you wanted that ring for yourself?" Ford pressed.

"Detective!" Fate started, but Ford put up his hand to silence her.

"You don't have much of an alibi. Would you say it would be possible for you to kill Mr Cavalier, and still make it back at the times you claimed?" Yuuno was silent for a moment, as if doing the math in his head.

"I suppose if one was fast enough, one could make it back in that short amount of time."

"Do you own a gun?"

"Of course not. Those are illegal."

"We're going to need to search your residence and your office." Ford declared. Yuuno looked around and smiled sheepishly.

"If you can perform miracles, please, go ahead."

While Ford and his men went about removing the stacks of literature from Yuuno's office, the others waited by Sierra's desk.

"Well, it's about time some one cleaned out that room." The assistant commented dryly.

"Sorry for letting it pile up so much, Ms Smith." Yuuno apologised. "But I never seem to have the time to go through it all."

"Sorry for all the trouble, Yuuno." Fate said. "But given the circumstances, it was unavoidable that you'd be suspected."

"Don't worry about." Yuuno waved it off. "I understand."

"We'll be on our way soon," Fate continued. "Once we clear you."

It was an hour into the search when an officer called out. "Detective! We've found something!" Everyone piled in to see what it was.

It was a steel briefcase. It had a numerical lock and attached to the handle was a tag that read 'RX-79.'

"What this?" Ford asked.

"Oh, that." Yuuno said. "That contains top secret Bureau related files. I was asked to hold onto them for awhile."

"I see. Open it." Ford commanded.

"… Excuse me?" Yuuno asked, caught a bit off guard.

"I said open it."

"Like I told you, it contains top secret Bureau files. I can't just open it in front of anyone."

"Well if it only contains some documents, that's fine. I couldn't care less about what's written on them." Ford narrowed his eyes. "Getting a warrant should be easy enough. It would save us a whole lot of trouble if you just opened it now."

Yuuno glanced around a tad nervously before he hesitantly entered the code and opened the briefcase.

Inside were a crushed fedora and a folded up jacket. The room was silent.

Slipping on some gloves, Ford picked up the coat by the shoulders and let it fall open. A box and a gun clattered onto the floor. The box flipped open, revealing a ring with a large, glittering stone.

"Box of donuts says this is the victim's coat." Ford said, eyes focused on Yuuno. "And I bet this is the gun that killed him."

Yuuno said nothing, beads of sweat running down his face. The officers surrounded him.

"Yuuno Scrya," Ford said. "You're under arrest on suspicion of the murder of Gary Cavalier." Yuuno didn't resist as an officer placed restraints on his hands and led him out of the room.

Fate just stood there, mind totally blank.


	4. Chapter 3

"Fate-san!" Shari called, lightly shaking her superior's shoulder. Fate snapped out of her initial shock.

"Oh, I'm sorry." She said. She still couldn't believe what she had witnessed. Yuuno, a murderer?

Nonsense. But the victim's belongings and the murder weapon were found in his office… If he didn't do it…

"Some one must have planted it." Ford said for her. "That's what you're thinking, isn't it?" Fate turned to face the detective, but didn't reply. "I hope you're aware of the implication of that statement. And what would be required to prove it."

"We would need evidence of tampering, as well as a suspect that holds a grudge against him." Teana chimed in. Ford nodded.

"Correct." He said. "But for now, we'll take the kid back to the station for further questioning. After we analyze the evidence, we'll get a clearer picture." Ford looked Fate straight in the eye. "I mentioned this before, but I'll say it again. Don't make me remove you for conflict of interest. It won't do you, or him, any good. Understand?"

Fate closed her eyes and let her mind clear. She opened them again and met Ford's eyes. "Understood."

Ford held her look for a minute before he went back to recording the scene and bagging the evidence.

When they left the office, Fate saw a rather baffled Sierra. A rare sight.

"Just what is going on, Ms Fate?" She asked. "Why was the professor…"

"We'll be back to ask questions." Ford said. "My men are still conducting a search, so keep the building closed off. Tell the other employees that they're not to leave."

"… If you say so detective…" Sierra glanced at Fate, eyes seeking answers. Fate couldn't think of a response.

Once they left the library, Ford held up the evidence bag that contained the ring. "Well, this is your part of the job." He said. "Since we're already here, you might as well take it in to be examined."

Fate nodded. "Shari, could you take care of it?" She asked.

"Yes m'am." Shari responded, taking the bag. _'Are you going to be alright?'_ She asked Fate mentally.

'… _Yeah, sorry for worrying you.'_ Fate replied. _'I just need to focus on finding the real culprit.'_

"I'll contact you as soon as the results are in." Shari said before walking off.

Ford, Fate, and Teana walked back to the relay port and transferred back down to the surface. They got in their respective vehicles and headed for the police station.

The station was a large, grey, almost featureless building. It's only distinguishing quality was the large sign that read 'Mid-Childa Police Department, Central Division' in bold, black lettering. The Enforcer and the Detective parked their cars in the underground lot.

"Scrya should be in an interview room right now." Ford said when they met up at the elevator. "For his sake, he better have thought up his excuse very carefully."

Teana squirmed in the uncomfortable silence that followed. She wanted to say something, but Ford beat her to it.

"If you insist on being the good cop." He said. "I'm going to have to be the bad cop. Don't hold it against me." The elevator arrived at the floor that had the crime lab. After dropping off the evidence, they made their way to the floor with the interview rooms.

They entered a room marked 'Observation B.' Through the two-way glass panel, Fate could see Yuuno sitting at the large, steel table. He had put his glasses back on, and seemed to adjust them at fixed intervals. He was trying to appear calm, but Fate could tell how frightened he was.

It nearly broke her heart.

"Ok, have you boys got anything for me?" Ford asked the uniform already in the room.

"We have the background info on the vic and the suspect." The officer handed over two files. Ford opened the Cavalier folder.

"Let's see… Born and raised on Mid." He read. "Left home at nineteen years of age, has been travelling ever since. Fancied himself an 'adventurer' apparently. Survived by his mother, widowed, lives in the city. We'll have to pay her a visit." Ford opened Yuuno's folder. "Orphaned, raised by the Scrya clan here on Mid. Has been an accomplished archaeologist since he was a boy. A certain incident had him spending lots of time on Non-management world 97." Ford paused. "Earth, eh? They still use guns there, don't they?" Fate hesitantly nodded.

"Has been a civilian collaborator for the Bureau on many occasions," Ford continued. "An expert in all forms of support type magic. Currently head librarian at the Infinity Library. Quite the resume he has. What else do you have for me?"

"Sir," The officer said. "We are still comparing the hair found on the body to the sample voluntarily provided by the suspect. In the meantime, we have the results of the animal fur that was on the scene. It belongs to a Mustela putorius furo."

"In English, please."

"A ferret, sir." Fate visibly stiffened. She could almost hear the nail being pounded in. Ford didn't miss it.

"I highly doubt ferrets commonly hang out in Mid-Childan alleys." He said. "Thoughts, Enforcer Harlaown?" Once again, Fate was put into an awkward position, but she knew she had to tell the truth.

"… Yuuno knows magic that allows him to shape shift." She said. "The form he used to assume was that of a ferret…"

"It just keeps piling up, doesn't it?" Ford said. "Let's get a round of questioning in while we wait for the rest of the lab results. You coming, Enforcer?" Fate nodded.

"You wait in here Teana." She said. "Contact me when the tests are back."

"Yes m'am."

When Fate and Ford entered the room, Yuuno gave them a weak smile. They took a seat.

"Ok kid," Ford said. "First of all, you're free to request legal council if you want. But things would be a lot easier if the lawyers don't get involved."

"That won't be necessary." Yuuno replied. "I haven't done anything."

"Certainly doesn't look that way." Ford said. "For starters, let's have you go over the events of last night again. For the record." Yuuno repeated the story he told in his office. "Ok. We've established that your alibi has room for question. You're denying that you killed Mr Cavalier, right?"

"Yes, that's right. I didn't kill him."

"Then how do you explain his belongings, a gun, and the Lost Logia in question being found in your office?"

Yuuno remained silent.

"That top secret briefcase, when did you get it?"

"A few weeks ago."

"Aside from you, who else knew the combination to that case?"

"… Only me and the person who gave it to me know the code."

"Who was the one that gave it to you?"

Yuuno made a quick glance at Fate. "Admiral Chrono Harlaown."

"Wonderful." Ford sighed. "An Admiral. Now we have to get an alibi out of him."

"… That won't be necessary…" Fate said. "Last night the Admiral was off world, spending the evening with his family."

"How do you know that?"

"Because I was there with him." She said. "He's my brother."

"I see." Ford pondered. "We're still gonna have to talk to him. Get him to approve of us looking at that case. See if it was tampered with at all."

'That's right.' Fate thought. 'Some one could have broken into it and planted the evidence.'

"Can you think of anyone that would want to set you up?" Fate asked. Yuuno closed his eyes thoughtfully.

"Sure, I have some rivals in the field," He answered. "But I'm on rather good terms with all of them. They're friendly rivalries."

"More importantly," Ford cut in. "Is there anyone else who knew of your appointment with the victim?"

"… No." Yuuno answered eventually. "It was rather short notice, after all."

"Not even your assistant?"

"Ms Smith?" Yuuno blinked. "No, I handle all my own appointments. While she may be my assistant in name, she has her own tasks to perform. Her title is merely for the sake of when I'm out on a dig. She's directly below me, so she runs things while I'm gone."

"So, let's recap." Ford steepled his hands. "A meeting that only you know about goes awry, the man you meet ends up dead, and his stuff ends up in your office, in a case that only you know the code to. That's the way most people are going to see it."

"… I suppose they will…" Yuuno whispered.

"What about the victim?" Fate ventured. "Perhaps he had some enemies."

"A possibility, of course." Ford nodded. "However, like Scrya here said, it was pretty short notice. Could some one really make such an elaborate cover up in only two days? Have you met anyone new within the days after making the appointment with Mr Cavalier?"

"… No." Yuuno answered.

"I'd say it's highly improbable that some one could sneak into TSAB HQ, let alone be able to find anything in that office without getting caught." Ford said. "But, naturally, we'll look into it. Let's focus on the more apparent angle. What would be your motive for killing him? You wanted that ring right? For what? Money? Power?"

"Like I said before," Yuuno started. "The ring was harmless. I've dealt with far more powerful, not to mention far more valuable, Lost Logia than that. If I were to kill some one over a Lost Logia, which I never would, it wouldn't be over something so relatively small."

"Another reason, perhaps." Ford said thoughtfully. He took out a picture of the ring he had taken earlier. "This is quite the rock. I can only imagine my wife's reaction if I popped this out in front of her. What about you, Mr Scrya? Got a special woman you want to knock off her feet?"

Yuuno opened his mouth to say something, but shut it again. A blush crept onto his face as he looked away.

The implication hit Fate like a Starlight Breaker. It was obvious to anyone that Yuuno has a long time crush on Fate's best friend, Nanoha Takamachi. However, Nanoha was always far too dense to notice. After ten years, could Yuuno's frustration finally push him over the edge and make him do something drastic to catch Nanoha's attention?

"I'll take that as a 'yes'" Ford said. "Love can make us go off the deep end. Is that what happened to you, Scrya?"

"No, it's not." Yuuno replied weakly.

'_Um… Fate-san?'_ Came Teana's voice. _'The tests are back…'_

"Detective." Fate said as she rose. Ford nodded.

"We'll be right back." As soon as they left the room, Ford spoke again. "Looks like I hit the mark."

"Sort of…" Fate's voice cracked a little. "There is some one he's been interested in for a long time now…"

"Means, motive, and opportunity." Ford said. "Coupled with the evidence we have now, there won't be much room for questions at the trial." Fate nodded silently. Ford could see her trying to hold her fractured heart together. Sometimes he hated his job.

"… I think it really would be best to remove yourself from this case." He said. "It's hard to see some one you know go down like this."

"No." Fate shook her head. "A long time ago, Yuuno saved me from a similar position. I'll do the same for him."

"If you say so, kid." Ford opened the door to the observation room. "Ok, what do we got?"

Teana gave Fate a concerned look before she read off the results. "The hair found on the body and the hair taken from the suspect… Are a perfect match." Teana could hear her superior's heart fracture again. "More hair was found on the inside of the victim's jacket and hat. That hair also matches with the suspect… The gun found in the case had no finger prints on it; however, the bullets and the rifling marks match up with the bullet found on the scene. Finally, there's the case, but it hasn't been examined due to sensitivity issues…"

"Let's take care of that right now." Ford said. "Could you call your brother and get his permission?"

"… Ok, I'll do that. Excuse me." Fate really needed some air. She took the elevator to the top floor and stepped out onto the roof. She took a deep breath and let it out. Things were not looking good. However, evidence such as hair could easily be planted. It all hinged on the case. If it was some how broken in to, it left the possibility of a frame up. She called up a display and phoned her brother.

"Admiral Harlaown speaking." Chrono's face filled the screen. "Ah, Fate. What can I do for you?"

"I need to ask you something regarding top secret documents. File RX dash seven eight." She said. Chrono paused in thought for a moment.

"RX… Oh, right. That." He said. "I gave that to the ferret changeling to hold onto. Was just wasting space in my office. I figured it might as well waste space in his." Chrono saw his sister frown. "… What's wrong?"

"…" Fate filled Chrono in on the situation.

"I see." Chrono said. "Those documents aren't important. Just some one's proposal for a bipedal tank or something stupid like that. I give you permission to examine that case. Now go and prove Yuuno's innocence."

Fate smiled lightly. "Thank you, onii-chan." After seeing Chrono's usually flustered reaction, Fate cut the line. She took one last deep breath and headed back inside. She returned to the observation room. "We have permission."

"Alright, good." Ford told an officer to send the message to the lab. "You good to go for another round?" He asked Fate. Fate nodded. She knew she couldn't contribute much to the questioning. She just wanted to be there so Yuuno knew he had an ally. Fate and Ford returned to the interview room.

"Well, got some bad news for you." Ford said. "Your hair matches the hair we found on the body. We also found your hair in the victim's jacket and hat. The gun found in your office is also the one used to kill the victim."

Yuuno said nothing.

"Here's how I see it playing out. After leaving the restaurant, you went into the alley. You waited for Mr Cavalier to exit and you called out to him. Maybe you said something like 'Oh, I forgot to tell you something really important!' So he followed your voice into the alley. But you were nowhere to be seen. Why? Because you had turned yourself into a ferret." Yuuno looked rather surprised. "We found ferret fur in the alley. You can shape shift, right?" Yuuno nodded slowly.

"Curious as to why he heard your voice but couldn't see you," Ford continued. "Mr Cavalier ventured further into the alley. Then you assumed your human form, trapping the victim between yourself and the fence. You draw your gun and tell him to give you the ring, along with his jacket. He complies, but then you shoot him. How's that sound so far?"

Fate had to admit that Ford's story did fit the evidence, but she knew it couldn't be true. Yuuno shook his head.

"I've already made my statement in regards to my actions following the meeting." He said.

"After killing the victim, you put on his jacket and hat, and you returned to headquarters." Ford went on. "I'm sure a guy like you wouldn't get hassled by security up there, so getting the gun in should be simple. You go back to your office, dig out that secret case and stash the evidence in there. I'm sure you foresaw our investigation. I'm also sure you thought that no surface cop would ever press you to open as case you claimed held classified documents. Unfortunately, you got me as primary." Yuuno could only shake his head again. "The noose is pretty tight around your neck. Won't take much more to pull away the chair. Why don't you just confess? I must admit I am curious as to why you felt you needed to bring a gun, and why you took the victim's clothing."

"I won't confess because I didn't do it."

"Then I suggest you call your lawyer now."

Ford got up to leave, but Fate remained seated. "I'd like a moment alone with him, if I may." She asked. Ford paused for a moment and then nodded.

"Just a few minutes." He said before leaving.

"… Things aren't looking too good for me…" Yuuno smiled weakly.

"Are you sure you can't think of anyone who could have framed you?" Fate asked. Yuuno shook his head.

"No one that would take it this far…"

"Are you going to request a lawyer?"

"… No, I'm not."

"Why not?" Fate asked, surprised.

"Lawyering up is the first sign of one's guilt." He said.

"You need some one to fight on your side. As things stand, no one's going to believe you.…"

"You believe me." The smile he gave her showed just how scared he was. She'd never seen her friend look so vulnerable. Those three words were probably the only hope he had to hang on to. It took Fate all she had to fight back her tears.

"Of course." She said. "I'm going to prove your innocence, I swear."


	5. Chapter 4

Hey guys, I've finally come back to this. Sorry to keep you waiting, but it's been quite busy for me. Between school, work, and all the drama I've had to deal with in this section recently, I never got around to working on this. Though I did have the first part of this chapter written for a while. Don't worry, I have every intention of finishing this. I've had this fic and 4 others planned out in my head for a couple of years now. I won't give up, even if I'm recieving a lot of pressure to write NanoFate and only NanoFate. Well, I've put a clear warning, so if I offend anyone with this, it's not my fault.

* * *

"One more thing, Fate." Yuuno called before the blonde left the room.

"Yes?"

"Um… well…" Yuuno averted his gaze. "Please don't tell Nanoha about this. I don't want to worry her."

"Ok, I won't tell her." Fate smiled back. When she exited the room, she closed the door and leaned against it. 'Even now, you think of Nanoha first…' She sighed mentally.

Fate wasn't immune to the pangs of jealousy. Even though she had vowed to support Yuuno in his romantic endeavours with the brunette, it tore her up inside. There was a part of her that celebrated whenever Yuuno was (unknowingly) turned down. A part that wanted to shout "Give up on her! Look at me!" Fate tried to suppress it. She tried to mean it whenever she said "I'm sure you'll succeed next time!"

Then there was the part that wanted to hate Nanoha for it; wanted to hate her for causing Yuuno such misery. It wanted her to stop being so dense and notice what was right under her nose.

It wanted to hate her for being in the way.

In the end, both those parts were vastly overshadowed by the immense love Fate felt for both of them. Nanoha and Yuuno were two of the people who had saved her. She wanted them to be happy together, even if she had to sacrifice her own happiness.

However, Fate could never bring herself to ask the all important question. She could never just flat out ask Nanoha "How do you feel about Yuuno?" She was afraid of the answer. Afraid to hear her say "I love him." Afraid that any chance Fate had would vanish.

The human heart was always in conflict with itself.

But now Fate's head was complicating matters.

Her eleven years being an agent for the TSAB. All the experience as an investigator she had gained on the field. It was all telling her one thing:

That man is a murderer.

No! Her heart cried. Not Yuuno. Not the Yuuno who always greeted her with a smile. Not the Yuuno that would drop everything just to help her. Not the Yuuno who never treated her differently because of what she was. Not the kind, loving, gentle Yuuno she fell for.

"_Love can make us go off the deep end."_

The detective's words resounded in Fate's mind. It was often the kind, gentle ones that fell the hardest.

Just like her mother.

Fate violently shook those thoughts from her head. Yuuno was _not_ like her mother. But the possibility still lingered.

Fate closed her eyes and squeezed the bridge of her nose with her hand. She had to focus. She had to clear those unnecessary thoughts from her head. It wasn't over yet. There were still bases to cover. There were plenty of opportunities to prove Yuuno's innocence. She just had to find them.

X-X-X

Fate silently returned to the observation room. She purposely avoided glancing at the two way mirror. Teana's heart sank when she saw her superior. She wanted to say something comforting, but all words died on her tongue. Ford finished his conversation with a uniform, and turned to the girls.

"Ok, three things." He said. "First, we've got a mother to inform. Second, we have to head back to the restaurant. Seems we've got ourselves a witness. Finally, we have some librarians to question. How do you want to handle this, Enforcer?"

"I think it's best to split up." She answered after a moment of thought. "It would be more efficient."

"Hm," Ford nodded. "Ok, how about you hit the library. Since you know the staff, it'll be easier for you to get information. I'll take the mother. We'll meet at the restaurant when we're done."

"Um, excuse me." Teana spoke up. "Would it be all right if I went with you, detective? I'm aiming to become an Enforcer myself, and I feel that being there when the mother is informed would be a good experience for me to have."

Ford studied the teenager for a moment. "Fine with me, kid." He glanced at Fate, who nodded. "It's always easier to have another woman present. I'll warn you, though. If she's a clingy one, I won't hesitate to throw you to the wolves. Let's go."

'_Hang in there, Fate-san.'_ Teana sent that mental message to her superior before leaving with the detective.

"That was nice of you." Ford told her as they walked down the hallway. "Giving her some time alone like that."

"I just figured she might try and bottle everything up if I were around." Teana replied.

"Well… sometimes doing that is part of the job."

X-X-X

Fate was grateful for Teana's consideration, but she wouldn't allow herself to break down just yet. She had to stay strong and find the truth. For Yuuno's sake.

Fate made the familiar journey back to the Infinity Library. She had a fair number of employees to talk to, and she figured she'd start with the top.

Sierra was still at her desk, but rather than working, she was curiously watching the police officers as they scurried about. Fate noted that the older woman was now in 'casual mode.'

"I believe the expression 'barking up the wrong tree' is appropriate for this situation." The red head commented before Fate could greet her. "The professor? A murderer? Preposterous. Rather than waste their time here, they should be out looking for the real killer."

Fate was happy to see that some one else believed in Yuuno, but she had to be professional.

"I need to ask you some questions, Sierra. On the record."

"Of course." Sierra replied. "The sooner our boss comes back, the better."

"State your name and occupation, please."

"Sierra Smith, Assistant Head Librarian at the Infinity Library."

"How long have you known Yu…" Fate caught herself "… the suspect?"

"Seven years." She answered. "I began working here after graduating high school. Professor Scrya was already head librarian at the time."

"What is your opinion of him?"

"A very capable and intelligent young man." Sierra smiled softly. "But surprisingly clumsy in certain areas. He makes some silly mistakes, but he's still young."

"Was he ever prone to angry outbursts?" Even though she knew she had to ask, the question still left a bitter taste in Fate's mouth. "Did he ever have times when he was very insistent on getting what he wanted?"

"Heaven's, no." Sierra scoffed. "If I may be a bit rude, he's what some would call a doormat. He'd have no problem giving up what he wanted if it made some one else happy. He's kind almost to a fault."

Fate would have preferred Sierra use nicer words to answer, but she kept that to herself.

"Did you notice any strange behaviour in the past two days?" Fate continued. "Did he seem edgy at all?"

"No." Sierra said with utmost confidence. "He was like he always is. If something was off, I would know. I make note to keep an eye on everything around here."

"So then did you know about Gary Cavalier?"

"… No, can't say I've ever heard that name before." Sierra answered after a pause. "I suppose I can't keep my eye on absolutely everything."

"So you were not aware that… 'the suspect' had a meeting with Mr Cavalier last night?"

"Can't say that I did." Sierra smiled apologetically. "I usually only know of the Professor's meetings as he's leaving for them. Even then, I only know that he has a meeting, but not who it's with. If he left for a meeting last night, he went after my shift was over."

"When is your shift over?"

"Five pm."

"The suspect's statement says that you woke him up at seven am this morning. Is that true?"

"Yes." Sierra nodded. "I punched in at seven, took a peek into his office and saw him sleeping. So I woke him up. It's nothing unusual. He usually works long hours and falls asleep at his desk."

"Did anything in the office look out of place?" Fate asked. "Maybe signs that some one else had been in the room."

Sierra let out an elegant chuckle. "It was a disaster area like always. But everything seemed to be in its place. No towers were toppled or anything."

"Can you think of anyone that had a grudge against… the suspect?" Fate despised having to refer to Yuuno that way.

"Not publicly." Sierra admitted. "There may be some envious parties out there, secretly harbouring ill will towards to the Professor, but I can't say for sure. For the most part, he is a highly respected individual. Certainly, the entire staff here admires him greatly."

X-X-X

Fate parted with Sierra uneasily. Although she meant well, the other woman's testimony certainly didn't help Yuuno. Not even Sierra knew of Yuuno's meeting? Nothing in the office looked out of place? No one with an explicit grudge? There wasn't much support for the frame up theory.

Fate hoped the other employees would provide more information.

The next employee Fate came across was a girl who had just celebrated her eighteenth birthday. She wore a simple white blouse with blue pants and her shoulder length pink hair was tied in a pony tail in the middle of the back of her head. Blue eyes skimmed through the book in her hands. Fate had only talked to her a few times, but she knew the girl's name was Chrys L'Aries.

"Chrys." She called. "Can I talk to you?"

Chrys jumped at the sudden summons. She slammed her book shut on reflex.

"Oh, Fate-san." The girl sighed when she turned around. "You scared the crap out of me."

"Sorry about that." Fate apologised. "But I need to ask you some questions."

"It's about Yuuno-sensei, isn't it?" Chrys's cute face frowned. "Everyone's on edge about it. It's hard to believe the cops are making such an obvious mistake. Well, they'll realise it soon enough."

Fate was glad to find yet another supporter.

"Can you state your name and occupation for the record?"

"Sure thing." She chirped. "I'm Chrys L'Aries, librarian at the Infinity Library. I work in the fiction section."

"How long have you been working here?"

"Hm…" Chrys put her finger on her chin thoughtfully. "I guess… about three years now?"

"What is your opinion of the Professor?"

"Oh, that's an easy one. Sensei is such a wonderful person!" She beamed. "He's smart, and capable, and he treats everyone so nicely. He helped me out a lot when I first started here."

"Were you aware of any dealings with a man named Gary Cavalier?"

"Nope." She replied immediately. "I just keep things organised and help people find what they're looking for. I don't know about other business. Old la… I mean… Ms Smith is the one who knows about that stuff."

"Do you know anyone who may have been jealous of Yuuno? Or held any sort of grudge?" Fate asked.

"Jealous?" Chrys laughed. "Try every guy who works here!"

Fate's eyebrows shot up. "What do you mean?"

"Isn't it obvious?" The younger girl blinked in surprise. "All the guys are jealous that sensei has such a hot girlfriend like you."

"Girlfriend?" Fate all but sputtered out. "I'm not his girlfriend."

"You're not?"

"No, I'm not."

"Really?" Chrys spoke thoughtfully. "Damn, if I had known that, I would have made a pass at him sooner…"

Fate couldn't stop her frown. Chrys didn't miss it.

"Ah, so that's how it is…" Chrys nodded knowingly. "'Not yet, but hopefully some day', right? Don't worry, if it's Fate-san, you should have no trouble!"

Fate wished it were that simple.

X-X-X

The rest of the interviews were more of the same. Everyone only had good things to say about Yuuno, no one had heard of Gary Cavalier, and they didn't know of any grudge holders.

The male employees did indeed admit to being jealous of Yuuno's supposed relationship with Fate, but they insisted it didn't reach the point where they would kill a perfect stranger to get Yuuno out of the picture. They all gave alibis that checked out as well.

Fate didn't get anything she thought she could use. The testimonies would have worked wonders if it was only Yuuno's character that had been called into question. But with all the evidence, it wouldn't get to that stage.

It was a common story. Someone commits a horrendous crime, and those around them go "They were such a nice person; I can't believe they did that!"

Was that the case here?

Fate reassured herself that the answer was "No."

Because everyone was so cooperative, interviewing them all didn't even take an hour.

The noise from her stomach reminded Fate that she hadn't eaten since the morning. Solving crimes on an empty stomach was never a good idea, so she stopped by the eatery for a quick bite. She ordered the pasta dish favoured by trainees and sat down at an empty table. Swirling the noodles around her fork, she put the utensil to her mouth and partook of the tomato and meat dish. Then she called Teana.

'_Teana, how are things over there?'_

'_Ah, Fate-san.'_ Came the reply. _'We're just about done. As expected, she didn't take the news well, but she's holding herself together enough to answer our questions. What about you?'_

'_I'm afraid I didn't have much luck on my end.'_ Fate lamented. _'I'm just having something to eat right now. I'll be heading back to the Gentle Breeze as soon as I'm finished.'_

'_Detective Ford and I will meet you there, then.'_

'_What's your opinion of the detective, Teana?'_ Fate thought suddenly.

'_I…'_ Teana paused to gather the right words. _'I think he's an admirable person. He is very serious about his work, but isn't without kindness or a sense of humour. He's been rather considerate to me, despite my inexperience, or maybe because of it.'_

'_He did strike me as a good person.'_ Fate added. _'Thanks, Teana. I'll see you soon.'_

'_Bye.'_

Next, Fate called Shari.

'_Any progress, Shari?'_

'_Fate-san. Nice timing.'_ Shari answered. _'The results just got back. The ring is completely harmless. It just looks pretty, that's it.'_

'_I see.'_

'… _How are you holding up?'_ Shari inquired.

'_Don't worry about me.'_ Fate smiled gratefully as she ate another forkful. _'I know we'll uncover the truth.'_ She finished off the rest of her plate of pasta. _'I'm heading back down to the surface now. Meet up with me at the relay port?'_

'_Sure thing.'_

X-X-X

Fate and Shari met up and travelled to the Gentle Breeze. They only had to wait around for a few minutes before Teana and Detective Ford joined them.

"Mother didn't have much to contribute." Ford said. "But you can look at the recording later if you want. Anything from your interviews?"

"Basically," Fate started. "They don't think Yuuno is a killer, but other than that, they aren't aware of anything like tampering or grudges."

"Not much to work with, eh." Ford grunted before pointing his thumb across the street to a building with a sign that read 'Remember When.' "Our witness is the owner of that antique shop over there. Fellow by the name of Ron Royce."

After looking both ways, the quartet crossed the street. They entered the shop and were greeted by the musky scent of age. The items neatly arranged on shelves and in display cases were certainly not old enough to be considered Lost Logia, but they were definitely relics of technologies that are barely a memory to most. There were desk lamps, personal computers, mp3 players, and plasma televisions. Fate was slightly amused by the fact that a lot of the items were considered top of the line back on Earth.

The person manning the register was an elderly gentleman somewhere in his seventies. The top of his head was completely bald, with thinning grey sweeping around the back. His wrinkled face was held in a neutral, yet regal, expression. A sharp contrast to his well pressed white shirt.

Ford flashed his badge.

"Ah, officer." The old man said in an annoyed rasp. "You've kept me waiting."

"Sorry about that, Mr Royce." Ford said. "We had to finish up other business."

"Well, whatever." Ron Royce snorted. "Let's get on with it. I just have to repeat what I told the other cops earlier, right?" The old man looked at the three girls. "You running a daycare, or what?"

"They're agents from the Bureau, actually." Ford informed him. "Don't let their looks fool you."

"Hah!" Royce laughed spitefully. "Back in my day, police work was left up to the adults. It was a kid's job to just stay at home and annoy their parents."

"Mr Royce." Fate spoke politely. "My aides and I are more than capable of fulfilling our duties. Please don't mind us and please tell us what you saw."

"Well, you certainly know your manners, girly." Ron's lips moved in what could have been some sort of smile. "Who ever raised you did a fine job."

"Thank you, sir."

"Now, for what I saw last night." The elderly gentleman cleared his throat. "That fella, the one who got killed. I saw him. I decided to step out for some air last night. Gets pretty stuffy in here. Can only take the old man smell for so long." He gave a short laugh that ended in a cough. "I look across the street and I see this big guy in a coat and one of those fancy hats. I would have paid him no mind at first, but he was looking around all suspiciously. He checked over his shoulder a few times, and then he ducked into that alley. This got me curious, so I decided to keep watching. Maybe he'd come out with something huddled under his arms or what not."

"You didn't think to call the police?" Ford interrupted.

"Course not, sonny." Royce replied. "Guy has the right to go in the alley if he wants to. It's not a crime, last I checked. If he did come out carrying something stolen, I would have reported it." Ron cleared his throat again. "So anyways, I was watching, wondering if he was up to any funny business. A few minutes later, out comes the coat and fancy hat. Only it wasn't on that guy. It was some one else wearing them."

"You're sure of this?" Ford asked.

"Sure am." The old man nodded. "Lot shorter, and thinner, too."

Ford reached into his coat and took out Yuuno's photo. "Was this the person you saw leaving the alley."

Fate unconsciously held her breath as Ron studied the picture, a wrinkled hand rubbing his wrinkled chin.

"Yes…" He finally said. Fate almost gasped, but... "And no." Royce added. Ford arched an eyebrow.

"What do you mean by that?" He asked.

"A twin, maybe?" The senior muttered. "The person I saw did look like this fella. The hair and the glasses, definitely. However, the person I saw was a woman."

"A woman?" Fate let slip in surprise. Was this the break she was hoping for?

"Are you sure you aren't mistaken?" Ford questioned. "You're sure it wasn't the man in this photo?"

"I may be old, but I'm not senile!" Royce said, offended. "I'm not daft enough to be unable to tell the difference between male and female! My eyes work just fine! She was far too pretty to be a man!"

X-X-X

"I wouldn't get too excited if I were you." Ford warned Fate once they left the store. Fate tried to come down from her high.

"What do you mean, Detective?" She asked. "We have a witness who saw the killer, and he is certain that he saw a woman."

"Well, that's one way to look at it." Ford scratched his head. "But… Enforcer, you are aware that your friend is incredibly… 'feminine' looking, right?"

Fate didn't quiet expect to hear that one. Sure, Yuuno was rather pretty for a boy. Fate considered him to be what the girls on Earth call a 'bishonen.' But to be girly enough to be mistaken as a woman?

"… I don't see where you're going with this, detective…" Fate answered dubiously.

"What I'm saying is," He started. "That in the dark of night, seen from a distance by a man of advanced age, who may or may not have everything functioning properly, your pal could be mistaken for a woman."

"Isn't that stretching it a bit, sir?" Teana jumped in.

"Maybe, maybe not." Ford sighed. "Look, even if I didn't say it, the prosecutor sure would. Such an interpretation could render the witness incredible, and his testimony dismissed. Or it could even swing towards proving the kid's guilt. He did say he saw some one that looked like the suspect leaving the scene of the crime."

The hope that had swelled up in Fate was quickly deflated from that punch to the gut.

"I… I guess you're right…" Fate said, crestfallen. She tried to pull herself back up. "But it still adds doubt to Yuuno's guilt."

Ford decided to spare her a reply.

X-X-X

They returned to the police headquarters, and were quickly met by a uniform.

"Detective Ford, there you are!" She said.

"What is it?" Ford asked.

"The examination of that case is finished." She reported.

'This is it.' Fate braced herself.

"After a thorough examination," The officer started. "The lab has failed to find any signs of tampering."

And there was that last nail, driven right through Fate's heart. She almost lost her balance, but her aides gently held her arms.

"The commander wishes for a report on this matter right away." The cop added. Ford nodded and glanced back to the pale faced Enforcer and her aides.

"I'll go do that." He said. "You three have a seat." He gave Teana and Shari a meaningful glance before leaving.

Fate was led to the waiting area of the lobby where she sat on a bench. Teana disappeared and returned with a glass of water.

"Here, drink this Fate-san." She said, holding out the cup. Fate took it and slowly sipped.

"I'm sorry." She apologised. "It's just the shock…"

"We understand, Fate-san." Shari assured her.

"I have to be strong." The blonde muttered. "It's all a misunderstanding." She repeated those words over and over in her head. She wanted to believe it so badly, but she couldn't figure out what she was supposed to do next.

Shari and Teana exchanged worried looks.

X-X-X

When Ford approached them fifteen minutes later, he knew she wouldn't like what he had to say.

"Got bad news for you, kids." He said straight out. He couldn't bear looking into Fate's hang dog expression, so he turned away and said it as quickly as possible. "It's over. Go home."

"… Huh?" Fate managed after a moment. "What do you mean, detective?"

Ford sighed. "My commander got word from the TSAB higher ups. They want this case wrapped up as quickly as possible. They've judged that we have enough evidence for a solid case, so the trial will be held within the next few days. Since the involvement of the Lost Logia has been handled, there's no need for you guys to stick around."

"But!" Fate pleaded. Ford risked a look into her red eyes.

"It's over." He repeated. "Your job is done."


	6. Chapter 5

"It's over." Ford repeated. "Your job is done."

Fate opened her mouth, but the objection died on her tongue. She knew full well that there would be no point in arguing. If the higher-ups said the case was closed, it was closed.

It was obvious to her why such a decision would be handed down. The Bureau's public image had suffered greatly in the past year, and here was yet another prominent individual accused of wrongdoings. They'd want to be done with it as quickly and as quietly as possible.

After all the years of service Yuuno had given the Bureau, he was being swept under the rug.

That just infuriated her. Even Fate's gentleness has its limits. But her anger gave way to the crushing sensation of defeat.

She couldn't do anything about it. Her time was up. There would be no further investigation. There would be no chance to discover something that would clear Yuuno's name. He was going to spend the rest of his life locked up in a cage.

She had failed him.

"I… I understand." Was all Fate could say.

Ford applied pressure to his temples and sighed. He was a softy and he knew it. It was how his daughter always got what she wanted. He just couldn't leave that heartbroken expression alone.

"Since the kid's hearing will be soon, we'll just give him a room here rather than shipping him off to the prison." He said nonchalantly. "In the meantime, Enforcer, since you're off duty now, you're free to do what you like. If you want to go to a restaurant, do some reading, or chat with some people, I won't stop you."

Fate blinked in surprise. Her shoulders felt a little lighter. "Detective, are you saying…"

"You're on your own, kid." Ford lifted his broad shoulders dramatically and turned. "But if you find anything interesting, I'd like to hear about it."

As he walked away, he could feel the young woman bowing to his back.

X-X-X

The artificial sky had long since changed to the night setting by the time Fate returned to her room in TSAB HQ. She had spent the last several hours going over the crime scene and Yuuno's office. She analyzed each and every piece of evidence, every bit of testimony, looking for something, anything that appeared off.

But she came up with nothing. Everything was solid. Everything pointed to Yuuno being the culprit.

She had sent her aides home long ago. They wanted to stay and help, but Fate couldn't allow them to use their time on what had become a personal quest. There was other work to be done. There was always more work to be done.

But that had to wait. Yuuno's trial would begin in a few days. Fate had to find the truth before then.

She had opted to use her room at HQ rather than the one on the _Claudia_. Here she could be closer to the case, and enjoy a more peaceful atmosphere, rather than the busy and chaotic one the interdimensional battleship commanded by her brother often had.

She didn't use the room that often, so it was relatively free of personal effects. It had the standard dorm room set up of a bed in one corner, a desk and chair in the other, a closet and a door leading to the attached bath. There was also a tiny kitchenette, but Fate knew it was devoid of any sort of food stuff. But that was fine, as she had grabbed dinner already.

Fate shed her black jacket, the sign of an Enforcer, and hung it up neatly. She tugged off the yellow tie from around her neck and undid the top buttons of her shirt. Letting out a sigh, she flopped into her chair. It had been a long, exhausting day, both physically and mentally. She gave up reviewing the case materials when her eyes had started aching. There was no point in pushing herself to work through the night. It would only make her careless, and that was the one thing she couldn't be.

She had to force herself not to worry. She had to block out the image of Yuuno, lying cold and alone on the cot in his cell. Worry was something she did often, and her performance usually suffered for it. She had to take her officers' exam three times because of it, something Signum never lets her live down. However, that test could always be retaken. She only got this one opportunity to save Yuuno. Fate needed to be at the top of her game if she was going to be of any help to him.

Right now, she needed a pick up. She needed something to improve her mood, and she knew just the thing.

She put a call through to Earth.

After a few rings, Fate was pleasantly surprised to see one red and one green eye fill her screen.

"Ah! It's Fate-mama!" The small girl cried in delight.

"Vivio!" Fate smiled. "What are you still doing up? It's way past your bed time."

"Well, today was special!" Vivio grinned. "Grandpa Shiro and I were watching a movie! It was funny!"

Fate's smile grew. Her godchild was just the ray of sunshine she needed to chase away the gloomy clouds.

"That's good." Fate replied. "But be sure to go to bed soon! The sooner you do, the more time you'll have to have fun tomorrow!"

"Ok!" Vivio beamed. "What about you, Fate-mama?"

"I'll be going to bed soon too." She said. "But first, is Nanoha-mama around? I'd like to talk to her."

"Yup! She's here!" Vivio turned her head away from the screen. "Nanoha-mama! Fate-mama wants to talk to you!"

"Coming!" Some one off screen answered. After a few moments, Vivio's face was replaced with that of Fate's best friend. "Hey, Fate-chan!"

"Nanoha!" Fate brightened. "How are you?"

"Energetic as always." Nanoha smiled, but quickly turned it into a mock pout. "I'd feel a lot better without this limiter, though."

Fate giggled softly. After the JS incident, Nanoha was once again in danger of having her body burn out. She had over used her magic during her battle in the Cradle, and was told she'd have to take a break or risk injuring herself. Or worse.

But Nanoha would have none of that. Her magic was too precious to her. She still had pupils to teach, and skies to fly. Eventually, the Bureau issued an ultimatum: Nanoha could either have her magic sealed off for a few years so she could rest before returning to active duty, or she could have her magic sealed off permanently.

Faced with such a blatant threat, Nanoha was forced to choose the former option. However, she had her own conditions. She would spend her 'vacation' on Earth with her family, and the Bureau would have to set up an independent teleportation system that would allow Vivio to continue attending school on Mid Childa.

The agreement was reached, resulting in the current situation. Nanoha still occasionally continued her job as an instructor, but mostly in a guest speaker capacity. Using her magic was off limits.

"You'll be back in the air before you know it, Nanoha." Fate assured her. "But in the meantime, how does it feel to be 'Aunty Nanoha' now?"

"Sakura-chan is so cute!" Nanoha's smile returned. "Onii-chan and Shinobu-san brought her over the other day! I'll have to send you the pictures later!"

"Please do." Fate smiled back. It was always so easy to smile around Nanoha.

"You look tired, Fate-chan." Nanoha tilted her head in concern. "Is something wrong?"

Fate knew Nanoha wasn't going to miss it.

"Yeah, it's…" Fate recalled Yuuno's earlier words. He didn't want Nanoha to worry about him. "A case I'm working on. We have… a suspect in custody, with a lot of evidence pointing to their guilt."

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"Not this time." Fate said. "I know they're innocent. They must have been framed, but I just can't prove it." She sighed. "I don't know how."

"Well, unfortunately I'm no good at things like this, nyahaha." Nanoha chuckled at her own expense. "That's why I'm a combat instructor, not an Enforcer. Have you talked to Yuuno-kun about it? He'd be able to help you."

"Yuuno is…" Fate swallowed nervously. She couldn't let Nanoha know, but she didn't want to lie to her friend. "Not available for me to ask right now."

"That's odd." Nanoha glanced up thoughtfully. "Yuuno-kun is always available for you… Well, I do remember something he told us one time. He said something like if you ever get stuck, go back and make sure you followed all the steps. You never know what you may have missed."

Fate wanted to ponder on that, but her mind was too exhausted. Her eyelids threatened to close at any second.

"Thanks for the advice, Nanoha." Fate said. "I'm going to sleep on it. I'm sure I'll think of something in the morning. I'm glad I talked to you."

"I'm always happy to talk to you too, Fate-chan!" Nanoha waved. "Goodnight!"

"Goodnight."

The call ended and Fate rose. She needed sleep. She changed into her sleepwear and climbed into bed. It didn't take long for her consciousness to slip away.

X-X-X

**"****Time to wake up, sir."**

Fate was roused by the voice of her device. She sat up and stretched her arms to the ceiling. She felt nice and rested, ready to take on the day ahead of her. "Thanks, Bardiche."

Climbing out of bed, Fate made her way to the bathroom. Her mind needed to think, so she started the shower. She stripped and stepped under the stream of water.

The brain always seemed to function better in the shower. Where as a bath usually only soaks up to the shoulders, a shower sends water over every inch of the body. Fate had heard somewhere that it reminded the body of its time in the womb, allowing it to relax. Even though the womb she was born in was artificial, it appeared that Fate was wired in the same fashion.

'_Yuuno…'_ She thought of him as the hot water flowed down her. _'Everything points to him… All the evidence… It just seems so… perfect.'_ Fate's eyes shot open. _'A little too perfect.'_

Fate forced herself to think of Yuuno as a murderer. Would he have been so careless as to leave his hair behind? To let himself be seen leaving the crime scene? Why not turn into a ferret and escape without anyone knowing? Could he have been so shook up over his actions that he made a mistake? No, that's unlikely. The shot was made by a steady hand. If Yuuno had the foresight to bring a gun, he would have been fully prepared to use it.

Yuuno was a careful, meticulous person. He would have made sure he didn't leave evidence behind.

It reinforced what Fate already knew: Yuuno was being set up.

But now what? How was she going to find the one responsible? She recalled what Nanoha said. Did she miss a step? She reviewed the crime scene, interviewed the suspect, examined the evidence, and talked to the witnesses…

Was there not something she didn't do?

"_Ok, how about you hit the library. Since you know the staff, it'll be easier for you to get information. I'll take the mother. We'll meet at the restaurant when we're done."_

That was it! Fate wasn't present for the questioning of Mrs Cavalier. She had read the transcript of the interview, but meeting with the woman first hand would allow her to form her own impressions, and maybe find a hint to set her on a new track.

Wasting no time, Fate hopped out of the shower, quickly dried herself off, and threw on her uniform. After a quick check to make sure she was presentable, she put Bardiche into the pocket of her black jacket and headed out the door.

X-X-X

Mary Cavalier was a slight woman in her sixties. Her carefully styled shoulder length auburn hair had a few strands of gray mixed in, and her face was set in a soft smile.

"Hello, dear." She greeted. "Please, come in."

"Thank you for seeing me on such short notice." Fate excused herself as she entered the house.

"It's no problem. I enjoy entertaining company." Mary led Fate into the living room. "Please, have a seat. I'll go get some tea."

The older woman left and Fate glanced around the room. The walls were decorated with various handicrafts and photographs. Many of the pictures were of the man Fate only knew as a corpse. He was shown happily standing in front of a wide variety of scenery, from the skyscrapers of cityscapes to mountain and forests.

"Gary always sent me pictures of the places he visited." Mary explained as she re-entered the room. She set down the tray she was holding onto the coffee table and poured two cups of tea. Fate accepted one of the cups with gratitude.

"You two were close?"

"Oh yes." Mary gave a half smile. "I suppose you could say I spoiled him. His father died soon after he was born. We only had each other."

"I'm very sorry for your loss."

"It's something I suppose I always prepared myself for." Mary looked sadly into her tea. "He was an adventurous boy. He always ran the risk of getting into some sort of accident. But to be murdered…" She shook her head. "How old are you, dear?"

"I'm twenty years old." Fate answered.

"To be an Enforcer at such a young age… The girl I spoke with yesterday was only seventeen. Your parents must be so worried about you. I pray that they won't have to experience the same thing I am."

"I actually have adopted children of my own." Fate explained. "They also work for the Bureau, so I understand the feeling."

"Children are growing up far too quickly these days." Mary shook her head again. "They don't even have time to enjoy being kids anymore."

"When was the last time you spoke to your son?" Fate inquired.

"It was two days ago… I suppose that would have been the day he was killed…" She took a sip of tea to compose herself. "He called me to say he was coming back to Mid for some business. He was going to come and stop by here when he was done. We hadn't seen each other in so many years…" Mary wiped away a tear that rolled down her cheek. "And we never will, now…"

"Did he ever mention anything that worried him? Perhaps people he feared or something he was concerned about?" Fate leaned forward slightly. "Was he upset about anything?"

"No, he never mentioned anything like that." Mary answered. "He was having the time of his life, travelling the worlds, discovering many things… He certainly wasn't upset the last time I talked to him… It was just the opposite, actually. He was happier than he's ever been since high school."

Something in Fate's gut twitched.

"Did he say what he was so happy about?"

"Of course. He couldn't wait to tell me." Mary smiled at the memory. "The love of his life had contacted him again."

"Who would that be?" Fate asked cautiously.

"She was his high school sweetheart. They had to break up after graduation. Gary didn't take it well. That's what made him decide to go on his journey." The older woman got to her feet. "I know I have a picture here somewhere… Ah! Here." She pulled a photo album off a shelf and flipped through it. She found the desired page and set it down on the table. "This is them right here."

Fate looked down at the indicated photo…

And into the face of a killer.

* * *

And after another failed attempt by certain individuals to get me to stop writing, here I am with another chapter! The next chapter (which I have written already) will be the last one. So lock in your guesses as to who you think the killer is!

Showers are better than baths. I always do my best thinking in the shower, and that carries over here. The womb thing was something Stephen King said in his book _Everything's Eventual_. King is an author I admire greatly, and what he said made sense.


	7. Chapter 6

Sierra was busy typing away on her terminal when Fate walked in. She glanced over at the blonde curiously. "Ms Fate. Are you here to look over the scene again?"

"No, I'm not." Fate replied. She pulled up a chair from the waiting area and sat in front of Sierra's desk. "I just seem to always come here when looking for answers."

"I understand." The older woman nodded. "Your feet must have automatically brought you here to see the professor. It's a shame he won't ever be in again… The rest of the staff is horribly torn up about it."

"What will happen to the library now?" Fate asked. "Who will replace Yuuno?"

"No one could ever replace the professor." Sierra lamented. "But the person who will take over as head librarian will be me. I have big shoes to fill. That is, if the professor is found guilty. You're still working hard for his sake, aren't you Ms Fate?"

"That's right. I'm going to clear him." Fate said with absolute conviction.

"Please, feel free to share what you've found in your investigation." Sierra smiled. "I'll be happy to offer my insight."

"I appreciate it, Sierra." Fate reached into her pocket and pulled out the picture she got from Mrs Cavalier. She slid it across the desk. "You can start by explaining why you lied to me." Fate's eyes hardened. "That's you in the photo with the victim, isn't it?"

Sierra glanced at the photo. It indeed showed a young woman with fiery red hair, smiling awkwardly as the boy next to her slung his arm over her shoulder.

"You told me you had never heard of the name Gary Cavalier." Fate pressed.

"Oh dear." Sierra said with a half smile. "You mean the man who was killed was the same Gary Cavalier I went out with in high school? It's a small universe, isn't it?"

"You had contacted him recently. Right before he was murdered."

"Did I?"

"Yes, you did. He talked to his mother and told her all about it." Fate continued her steely glare. She kept her voice cool and level. "He said that the love of his life wanted to meet with him."

"Oh Gary. Ever the mama's boy."

"You knew, didn't you? That he had contacted Yuuno and set up a meeting. You knew about the Lost Logia. You knew where the meeting was to be held. You told me yourself. You like to keep your eye on everything around here."

Sierra just sat there with her half smile.

"Yuuno's hair, the ferret fur, the case in the office," Fate continued. "Only those close to Yuuno would have access to such things. People like you, Sierra."

"Indeed."

"You asked Gary to give you the Lost Logia, didn't you? That's why he decided not to sell it to Yuuno. You met him in the back alley, and you killed him. 'Smith' is a common last name on Earth. You have ties there, don't you? You could get a gun if you wanted."

"I suppose I could."

"After you killed him, you dressed up like Yuuno and walked away. Then you came back here and planted the evidence in his office."

"That's a fascinating story, Ms Fate." Sierra clapped briefly. "You should write a novel. Of course the tag line would be 'based on a true story'."

"So you're admitting you did it, then?"

"Quite right." Sierra's smile grew into a full one. "Everything was my doing."

"Why?" Fate asked. "You've been working with Yuuno for so long, why would you do such a thing?"

"Working _with_ him?" Sierra let lose a disgusted laugh. "I've been working _under_ him. It's such a degrading experience working under a man. What was worse, he's not even a man! He's a little brat! I'm the only one suited to be in charge. I've been looking for a chance to get rid of him ever since I started working here. I thoroughly kept track of his actions. I just needed one little piece of dirt, one little screw up, and I could have ruined him."

Her twisted smile turned into a frown. "But as expected of a brat, he was too damn clean. So I had to suffer being second fiddle for all these years. But my chance finally came a few days ago when I overheard Gary make his appointment. Poor, pathetic Gary. He was an idiot, and pitifully easy to manipulate, even for a man. I only ever put up with him in high school for the free meals and the occasional gift. That's all men are good for, really. Just be a little nice to them, and they'll do whatever you want. I just told him that I would love to have such a beautiful ring. He offered it to me on the spot. I said he should meet with that brat anyways, and that I'd be waiting for him in the alley of the restaurant afterwards. He showed, 'Oh, it's so chilly' I said and he gave me his jacket. And then I shot him. I set things up, then played dress up and walked out to create witnesses."

'_A witness,'_ Fate mused. _'With a sharp eye.'_

Sierra smiled again. "It was so delightful seeing Gary's horrified expression when I pulled the gun on him. That's always been the best part. Draining a man for all he's worth, robbing him blind, and then kicking him out on his ass. Their expressions are wonderful." She shivered in delight.

Fate was disgusted.

"All I had to do was flirt a little with the guard on duty," Sierra went on. "And I easily got the gun back here. You can't imagine how thrilling it was to see the brat asleep at his desk. He snoozed away while I planted incriminating evidence! It was easy for me to slip through that mess of his and find the secret case. It was just as easy to pick open the case and stash the goods. I have a lot of experience. Most men never even realise that I've gotten into their safes and stolen all their money."

"You're despicable." Fate stated.

"I'm also an amazing actress." Sierra flashed a killer smile. "You never suspected a thing. Admit it, you liked me, didn't you? That's why you never considered me."

Fate couldn't disagree.

"But as expected from a fellow woman." Sierra smirked. "You managed to figure it out. It's a shame you're such a pathetic woman, Ms Fate. It's so sickening seeing you long for the brat like that. If you really need a man to satisfy you so much, I'm sure you could get any number of them to serve you."

"Don't compare me to you." Fate glared.

"Oh you're not going to go on about 'love' now, are you?" Sierra spat. "Men are tools to be used and thrown out like the garbage that they are. So what if I killed one of them? There are plenty more out there. They can never fill that emotional desire. All women really need are each other."

"You'll see plenty of other women where you're going."

"Prison?" Sierra laughed. "I don't think so. I'm only telling you all this because genius is meaningless if it goes unrecognised by others. You're far too much a pure and honest person, so I know you wouldn't have done something crafty like wear a wire. All you can do is run off and tell others what I've said, but all I have to do is deny it. Who are they going to believe, me, or a woman so desperate to save the man she loves that she'd resort to random accusations?"

"I wonder." Fate suddenly smiled and raised the volume of her voice. "What do you think?"

"I think it's amazing what you can learn at the library."

Sierra bolted up and stared at the entrance way. Emerging from behind the corner was Detective Ford and several officers.

"But… what… you…" Sierra stuttered.

"They say that pride comes before the fall." Ford smirked. "We heard everything. Sierra Smith, you're under arrest for murder, framing of an innocent, being in possession of illegal weapons, tampering with a crime scene, planting evidence, giving false testimony, and generally being a horrid bitch."

Sierra turned to run, but a band of light bound her ankles together. She went down and smashed face first into the floor. Blood gushing from her nose, Sierra angled her head and glared daggers at Fate.

"Let's put 'resisting arrest' on there, too." Ford said.

"I would have gotten away with it, too," Sierra started. "If it weren't for…"

"Don't make me add copyright infringement to the charges." Ford slapped his restraints on Sierra's wrists and yanked her up off the ground. Fate released her bind spell. "Take her away, boys." He said, passing her off to his officers.

"Get your filthy paws off me, you damn, dirty…" Sierra yelled as she was dragged out.

"Geeze lady, show some originality, will ya?" Ford grunted.

It was finally over. Fate let out a huge sigh of relief. Her legs might have given out on her too, but Ford kept her steady by putting a hand on her shoulder.

"You did well, kid." He said. "You managed to see something even I missed. Way to go."

"Thank you Detective." Fate replied. "I couldn't have done it if you hadn't given me the chance."

"Yeah… well…" Ford glanced away. "Let's just say I have a soft spot for childhood friends. I married mine." He turned back with a grin. "He's lucky to have you. Now let me handle the rest here. You go and get your man."

Fate didn't bother correcting him. She was already out the door.

X-X-X

Fate pulled up in front of the police station and darted out of her car. She was greeted by the sight of Yuuno exiting through the front doors.

She wasn't sure how to react. Her body wanted to shut down in relief, but her heart was ecstatic and thumped strongly. She wanted to just run up and hug him, but she restrained herself.

"Yuuno!" She called and made her way to him. "I'm so glad you're free!"

"It's all thanks to you, Fate." He smiled. A tear rolled down her face, causing Yuuno to panic a bit. "Ah! Don't cry Fate! Everything's all right now!"

Fate wiped away the tears she hadn't realised she was shedding. "I was so worried I wouldn't be able to clear you. I'm so relieved everything worked out." She had saved him, just as he had saved her so many years ago.

"I owe you big time, Fate." He said. "I have to repay you somehow."

Normally Fate would have denied his offer. However, this incident had made her realise that you really never do know what could happen. She had come so close to loosing Yuuno. If something like that happened again… she didn't want any regrets. Maybe she could get a little bit more aggressive.

"How about we go out for dinner?" She proposed.

Yuuno blinked in surprise, but then smiled. "Sounds good."

* * *

After nearly two years I've finally finished it! A lot sure has changed during this time, but the plans in my head haven't altered much. I've also become the local 'villain' of this section, too, apparently, because I dare to be different. My, I'm so evil aren't I? I must be stopped!

I'd like to express my heart felt gratitude to those who have offered me support. Every positive review I get and every hit on the counter really helps motivate me. I'd never give in to those who bully me for not worshipping NanoFate, but kind words give me a much appreciated extra boost.

I write because I enjoy it, and I share it with others in hopes they will enjoy reading it. So long as just one other person enjoys it, it's worth it.

Anyways, like I mentioned before, this was my first attempt at a detailed mystery. As such, I'd love some feedback on how I did. Too predictable? Some things not make sense? Any questions left unanswered? What did you think of the original characters? Did I ruin everything with my pairing choice?

I went with Fate/Yuuno because I thought I could make it work so I gave it a try. I like challenging myself by trying different things.

And now for name origins and other references!

Gentle Breeze – honestly can't remember how I thought this one up. But I think I might have been watching Kaze no Stigma at the time… And that's pretty ironic if you think about it.

George Michael Ford – G(eneral) M(otors) + Ford. I picked Michael for no particular reason other than it started with M. I picked George because I imagine him voiced by Jouji Nakata. His whole character is based on the idea of a competent version of Phoenix Wright's Gumshoe.

Chris Chevelle – named after the Chevrolet Chevelle. I am so not a car person, so I asked my brothers for car names. Incidentally, Chris is the name of one of my brothers. It's also the name of several of my friends, one of whom is an aspiring artist.

Gary Cavalier – named after the Chevrolet Cavalier. I forget where Gary came from…

Sierra Smith – named after the Ford Sierra. Smith because it's an obvious Earth last name. She had a different first name originally, but I changed it after I saw the Sierra logo on a car driving in front of me, and I thought it would be better. A lot of novels I read have men committing crimes against women due to sexist views. I flipped that for Sierra.

Case RX-78 (typo'ed 79 in chapter 2) – named after the original RX-78-2 Gundam mobile suit. Its contents being plans for a bipedal tank is also reference to this.

Chrys L'Aries – named after Chrysler and its Dodge Aries.

Remember When – the name of the antique store in the book of the same name by Nora Roberts/JD Robb.

Ron Royce – named after Rolls-Royce.

Sakura Takamachi – named after Shinobu's aunt, Sakura Kidou.

Sierra's final lines – in case you've lived under a rock for most of your life, the first is from Scooby-do and the second is from Planet of the Apes.

**Thank you all for reading! Look forward to the next instalment!**


End file.
